Zion-Benton teachers to vote on contract

Teachers and staff at Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 are scheduled to vote at 2 p.m. on a tentative contract that would end a four-day-old strike and get students back to school on Wednesday. The district’s two high schools remain closed today.

Union and administration representatives reached the tentative agreement at 2 a.m. during a mediation session that began at about 3 p.m. Monday, according to Anthony Ficarelli, the district’s lawyer.

A message this morning on the high school district's voice mail stated that if the teachers ratify the contract, school will resume on Wednesday and that final exams will take place Jan. 18-20.

The strike began Thursday, canceling classes and all extracurricular activities at the district's two schools, Zion-Benton and New Tech High School, both in Zion.

Teachers and support staff have been working without a contract since July.

Terms of the agreement were not made public. The main disputes were over how long it takes employees to reach top pay levels and the cost of health insurance, according to union officials.

About 2,800 high school students in the far north suburbs have been affected by the strike.